Snapchat, the image messaging app popular among teens and youth, has gotten even better and more useful, as the company has added a host of new features. New Snapchat features allow users to insert links into their snaps, modify their voice with filters, and add backdrops to the pictures, making chats even more fun.
New Snapchat features are very useful
Snapchat has always remained detached from other apps, but the latest update changes this trend. A new Paperclip feature allows users to add hyperlinks to Stories and snaps. A website link can be added to the snaps with a single click on the Paperclip button. When users swipe up on their friends’ messages, they will be able to view the links as well.
The Paperclip feature could come in very handy in many situations, for instance, while sharing a link to a recipe that you took a picture of. The only trouble here is that shared links could be malicious or fraudulent, but Snapchat has taken care of that too.
The company told TechCrunch that the shared content must comply with their terms. The automated safety tool will issue a warning to users to keep them updated on potential scams and dangerous websites. The app even gives a preview of the website whose link is shared.
This was one of the most requested features, and it was often cited as one of the features that gave Instagram Stories an edge over Snapchat. Instagram Stories has a user base of more than 250 million, compared to Snapchat’s 166 million daily active users.
Voice filters and Backdrops
While we have heard a lot about photo filters, it seems the new trend is voice filters. Voice filters, which were earlier available only in Snapchat’s animated lenses, allow users to alter their voice with filters. Users will also be able to remix their voice after recording a snap. Storytelling gets new life with the voice filter option available in the speaker icon at the bottom of users’ phone screens.
Another important addition to Snapchat is the ability to add Backdrops to pictures. The company rolled out a new creative tool called Backdrops to do away with the problem of finding the perfect background. The pictures can be clicked anywhere, and users can choose the in-app design that best suits their photographs.
To use the feature, tap the scissors icon on the right-hand side of the screen, and choose the square icon underneath the stars. It will present you with a number of patterns to choose from varying in shapes and appearance. For example, there is a repeating strawberry motif or a fire emoji that has about 100 symbols. Once the user has finalized the background, they need to draw an outline on people and objects that they want to stand out in front of the filter.
It will be interesting to see Facebook’s response to these new Snapchat features or, to be exact, how long it (or Instagram) takes to copy these new Snapchat features.
